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Did you know? At Academy of Art University, you can study composition, perspective, environment design, figure drawing and character design—everything you’ll need to embark on a creatively rewarding visual development career. Learn more

Iowa Graphic Design Schools: Most Expensive to Least Expensive

The State of Iowa is home to 66 Title IV degree-granting institutions. A large number of these schools offer excellent programs for graphic designers. Some are expensive, while others are considered affordable. Fortunately, because they have Title IV status, these schools are eligible for a variety of financial aid programs. This makes them more accessible to students that may need help meeting tuition costs and other education-related expenses.

To become a Title IV school, an institution must (1) have accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, (2) be in business for at least two years, (3) sign a participation agreement with the Department, (4) grant an associate's degree or higher, and (5) offer a program of at least 300 clock hours in length.

Continue reading to find out which Iowa schools offer top-tier graphic design programs and what you can expect to pay.

Iowa is home to 18,340 professionals working in Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media occupations. An impressive 1,900 are graphic designers earning an average salary of $39,500 per year, and the population is growing. In 2002, Iowa was home to around 1,570 graphic designers. This growth trend is expected to continue through 2018. This is great news for aspiring graphic designers in Iowa, meaning, employment opportunities are fairly easy to come by.

Like other graphic designers across the U.S., Iowa-based graphic designers work primarily in advertising, public relations, publishing, printing, and computer systems design. There are more than 1,000 creative firms in Iowa, 3,000+ printing and publishing companies, and more than 800 technology firms. Just a few employment options include:

Bluespace Creative, Denison

Dimensional Graphics, Davenport

Farmboy Inc., Urbandale

Flynn Wright, Des Moines

Happy Medium, Des Moines

Hellman Associates, Waterloo

Lessing-Flynn, Des Moines

McCormick Advertising, Des Moines

Metro Studios, Hiawatha

Meyocks Group, West Des Moines

Mindfire Communications, Le Claire, Cedar Rapids

Red Dot Design, West Des Moines

Sculpt, Iowa City

Seeforth Website & Graphic Design, Davenport

Terrostar Interactive Media, Davenport

Trilix, Des Moines

Two Rivers Marketing, Des Moines

While job opportunities for graphic designers are available in many cities across the state, a greater number can be found in Iowa’s largest cities. Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Sioux City, and Iowa City are the state’s top five largest cities. Waterloo, West Des Moines, Ames, Council Bluffs, and Dubuque are worth exploring as well.

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